With an interest in chemistry that had already developed early in high school, Kees Vrieze graduated cum laude from Leiden University with Prof. A.E. van Arkel in 1962. He then joined Shell Research in Amsterdam (KSLA) and obtained his doctorate at University College London with Prof. R.S. Nyholm in 1962, on a study into Metal-Metal and Metal-Hydrogen Bonds. This was followed by fundamental research at the Amsterdam Shell laboratories into homogeneous catalysis using organometallic compounds. Vrieze then moved to London to work as a close associate of Shell's Research Coordinator Lord Rothschild, a former professor at Cambridge and head of the well-known banking family. Vrieze had complete freedom to study all sorts of subjects that could possibly be of interest to Shell, as shows in the memoirs he wrote two years ago at the request of the 'Chemistry Historical Group' of the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society KNCV.

In 1970, the University of Amsterdam invited Vrieze to become Professor of Inorganic Chemistry. Reviving the Inorganic Laboratory, he gave a new impulse to research in this field at UvA. Vrieze also served as dean of the Faculty of Chemistry from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1997 to 2000. In 1984, he became a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences KNAW, where he held an administrative position from 1990 to 1996. Vrieze was also one of the founders of the Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Kees Vrieze founded UvA research in the field of organometallic chemistry, which he rapidly brought to the highest level. He was proud of his students, PhD students and close associates, whom he strongly motivated and granted ample room for scientific development. Many of his students became very successful both at the UvA and in society. We remember Kees Vrieze as an honest and successful scientist, an excellent manager, a good friend and colleague and indeed a special person. Our condolences go out to his wife Irene, his children and grandchildren.